Justin Flynn
Anglesea won its fifth Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association A Grade premiership in seven years and its third in a row against a plucky, but outplayed, Jan Juc at Inverleigh on Saturday, March 19.
The Seas went through the season unbeaten and largely untroubled and stamped their mark as one of the best, if not the best, BPCA sides ever seen.
It was an unlikely hero who destroyed Jan Juc’s hopes of an upset victory.
Paceman Darcy Elliott ripped through the Sharks’ batting order to take 6-19 from eight overs, upstaging his more credentialled teammates.
The young quick put the Sharks on the back foot early after Jan Juc won the toss and batted first. The Sharks changed their batting order slightly in an attempt to surprise the Seas’ attack.
It looked like a good move as openers Mark Zahra (15 off 28 balls) and Brad Roberts (15 off 35) put on 28 for the first wicket.
Elliott then entered the fray and got rid of both openers while Brett Venables removed Iain Lygo for a nine-ball duck.
All was not lost for Jan Juc though, with their two best batters – Jordi Withers and Ben Grinter at the crease.
However, Elliott sent Withers to the pavilion for three.
Jan Juc’s only hope for a competitive score rested with left-hander Grinter and the lower order’s ability to stick with him.
But when Grinter fell for a dogged 25 from 69 deliveries, Jan Juc was 8-80 and a final total of 92 was at least 50 runs shy of what they would have wanted.
Paceman Dylan Taylor chipped in with 2-18 from eight overs.
Jan Juc needed early wickets to have any chance and star quick Nicky Smith (2-33 from eight overs) rose to the challenge to dismiss in-form openers Ned Cooper and Tyron Norman with the score on 24.
Brett Harding made 20 before being bowled by left-arm seamer Lachie Ayton and at 3-51, Jan Juc was not completely out of the game.
Dale Kerr and Jacob Nolan then combined for an unbroken 43-run stand to win the game convincingly by seven wickets.
Nolan was impressive for his 35 not out from 28 balls while Kerr continued his spell of good batting form with 23 not out from 45.
